A defunct NASA spacecraft returns to Earth after 21 years
After 21 years of orbiting in space, a defunct NASA spacecraft has finally made its way back to Earth. The spacecraft called the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO), was a groundbreaking mission. It helped scientists study the high-energy universe and discover some of the most mysterious objects in the cosmos. Its return to Earth marks the end of an era of space exploration. This return also presents a unique opportunity for researchers to study the effects of long-term spaceflight on hardware.
The CGRO was the second of NASA's Great Observatories. NASA launched CGRO on April 5, 1991. It consisted of a series of four space telescopes that aimed to study the universe in different wavelengths of light. The CGRO was designed to detect gamma rays, the most energetic form of light. It can ...